Annual Blue Chip Economic Forecast

What will shape Central Ohio’s economy in 2027? Can our region keep its remarkable growth going? Join CMC for its Annual Blue Chip Economic Forecast, our traditional kickoff to the new year, as leading economic voices look beyond the headlines and offer their predictions for what 2027 will bring to Central Ohio.
The new year brings new questions for employers, investors, and entrepreneurs. AI is changing how companies operate, while major new investments in manufacturing, technology, and development are reshaping the region. Businesses are navigating higher costs, workforce pressures, shifting federal policies, and an increasingly uncertain global economy.

Central Ohio has spent years outperforming plenty of its Midwestern peers. But past performance is no guarantee of success in the year ahead. Which industries will lead the region’s growth in 2027? Will employers find the workers they need? What might slow investment or job creation? Which trends should leaders be watching before everyone else catches on?

Featuring Dr. Bill LaFayette, Owner, Regionomics; Dr. Joyce Chen, Professor of Economics in Women’s, Gender and Sexuality Studies, The Ohio State University; Ben Ayers, Senior Economist, Nationwide Economics with moderator Ben Lanka, Business Editor, The Columbus Dispatch.